tiny dancer
by danisha sparks
Summary: david's story. david discovers the passion behind rock and roll...or something quite like it.
1. gypsy lady

Note: this story is sort of interweaved with " homecoming", some elements will refer to incidents in that particular story, but I'll try not to do it in such a way that you'll get lost. It's recommended you read "homecoming" first to get the full effect, but regardless, this is independent of "homecoming", as it is david's story. :)  
  
" walk the streets alone at night,  
no life at home  
must get out   
to watch the pretty ones  
you want to talk but they don't understand  
you want to live  
want to love."  
- "rose", Cynthia Alexander  
  
  
jack Kelly watched as his selling partner david Jacobs and his bunkmate, pagan argued good naturedly about a book entitled "Dracula" on their way to irving hall. David noticed jack had grown quiet, the way he often did when david and pagan did their spiels. Pagan was raving about how much the story moved her, she had said that it was one of the most romantic stories of all time, but david just found it dark and disturbing. Pagan was so weird, but she had brains. He secretly wondered if there was something going on between jack and her ,but he never asked.  
  
Actually, being around pagan was a good thing. She was the only newsie he could really be himself around, without having to worry about being thought of as a show-off. Not that the other guys weren't great and all- yeah, they were all right, but sometimes david restrained himself from commenting or saying things that might make them feel dumb. He would often just brush aside the things they said about him too, and credited it to their own ignorance and immaturity, but sometimes, david got tired of being made fun of.   
  
Dull, dull, dull, he thought, as pagan yakked away about the metaphor of "Dracula". That's what they think of me. Good ol' gullible davy. Hope yah had your fun guys, cause that's all you'll ever really amount to, he thought privately.  
  
Jack, david and pagan passed backstage. The theatre was dark, except for the stage, where some musicians were bringing in their instruments, but soon their eyes adjusted and they spotted medda in the middle of the seats, waiting for the musicians to get ready. Jack waved to her and medda beckoned them over. To get to where medda was sitting, they had to pass the stage.  
  
David noticed one of the musicians- a young woman with hair as black as raven's wing, strap on her guitar. He did a double take, trying to determine if she was a gypsy or Indian. Her eyes were slitted and she had a wide expressive mouth. From beneath her long straight hair, her small ears peaked out. She is beautiful...he thought, and almost stumbled as they made their way towards medda. Strange looking, but beautiful.  
  
"david! Pagan!" medda cried after she'd hugged jack. she hugged both of them at the same time. Pagan tried not to gag on medda's perfume. "how lovely tah see you! Stay awhile! Watch the auditions."  
  
Jack was already settling in and putting his feet up on the chairs. " 'ey, maybe dose two can help yah decide," he cracked, sticking his thumb out at david and pagan. " but I'm warning youse, dose two critics'll make yah head spin."  
  
The musicians were now tuning their instruments. The young gypsy/Indian woman was joined with a fiddle player, also a girl, a boy with tom-toms, and another boy with another guitar.  
  
"okay if we start? " the gypsy lady asked in a melodic voice. Even her voice is pretty, david thought.  
  
Medda waved her hand impatiently. At the gypsy lady's cue, the musicians started playing their tune at once. The hall filled with sound as the gypsy lady began strumming on her guitar vigorously.   
  
David was agog. It was nothing he had ever seen before. The beat was strong, yet cheerful, like a mad wild frenzied celebration. It made him want to dance. The gypsy lady opened her mouth to sing. David was entranced. Her voice was even lovelier like that! David closed his eyes and nodded his head to the beat.  
  
Pagan had grabbed his hand and started to dance with him. She was laughing, as if she had read his thoughts and agreed with him completely.  
  
"wouldja look at dat!" jack said, shaking his head in disbelief. ' for once they agree on something!" he watched as david and pagan danced in a circle as the musicians played.  
  
The gypsy lady with the guitar saw them dancing in the aisle and took this as encouragement. She smiled at the other musicians and continued singing about days long gone, hi-ways, wagon wheels and freedom.  
  
  
  
  
When they started for home, it was after dark already. David and pagan were still talking incessantly, but they weren't arguing. They were raving about what they had just seen inside- the gypsy lady, Cynthia blue cloud was her name and her magnificent guitar.  
  
Medda had hired her and her band when she saw how much david and pagan enjoyed their performance. She had been skeptical before the young lady had started singing, thought they were too off-beat for her theatre. However, their style had been fresh and appealing. Besides, she needed some different acts. Some of her old ones were starting to bore her and the thought of singing " my lovey-dovey baby" three nights a week was enough to make her gag.  
  
"that was incredible!" david gushed as they started for home. " I didn't know you could do such things with a guitar!" he shuffled ahead excitedly." And she looked right at me!" he went on. "didn't you see her smile at me?" he clutched at his heart. " I think I fell for her then!"  
  
"fell, alright!" jack cracked. " fell head foist!"  
  
"wasn't she great? didn't you feel it too, jack?" david cried.  
  
"yeah, I felt it when your IQ went down ten points," jack said smartly. " just now, in fact."  
  
This last remark did nothing to david, who remained in a state of ecstasy until he reached his own home. He was still humming to himself and dancing around, smiling to himself, like he had a huge amazing secret.   
  
Very unusual behavior for david Jacobs, the most rational and level-headed newsie in the whole world.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. stranger by the day

in the days that followed since that night at medda's, david oscillated between elation of having discovered something to be excited about and frustration trying to remember how cynthia's song went. he had taken the song home with him in his head from irving hall, but when he woke up those next mornings, he could only vaguely remember...parts.it was unfortunate, wanting to hear a favorite song without having the means to hear it again.  
  
david searched every corner of his mind for a line, a riff, anything. he so badly wanted to retrieve the song from memory.  
  
"david!" his mother's voice pulled him back to reality." hurry up, or you'll be late!"  
  
david shook his head clear and pulled on his cap. he sure felt different.as he walked to the loading dock where the newsies assembled every morning to get their papes, he whistled to himself. different's good, he realized. up until now, he hadn't known he had been going around like a machine, performing the same routine day in and day out.different was definitely good.  
  
racetrack saw david walking up to them, sporting his glazed look. he poked at kid blink, who was standing next to him in line, and said, "'ey,'ey, lookit dis! betcha david ain't gonna see dis comin'!" racetrack whistled sharply,"davy!" he called out, "t'ink fast!" as he hurled a big red tomato straight towards david's face.  
  
david was spaced out, but strangely, was able to catch the flying tomato squarely in his fist with a loud "thwack!"  
  
kid blink slapped racetrack upside the head, cackling. "didja see dat?!" he hooted. "dat was great!"  
  
david sauntered towards them."hey fellahs," he said, holding up the tomato." any of you lose this?"  
  
kid blink was holding onto his stomach and was practically dying from laughter. he pointed to racetrack, because he couldn't get the words out of his mouth.  
  
"that's what i thought!" david said, returning racetrack's failed prank. he stepped up to the line.yup, he definitely felt different.  
  
he felt alive.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
clutching a piece of paper in his hand a couple of days later, david made his way excitedly to newsies square. he had actually seen a flyer for cynthia blue cloud earlier, announcing her performance at irving hall that night. he couldn't wait to show pagan.  
  
from the side of the greeley monument, he spotted her boots peeking out form the base, and so he ran up, yelling, "hey pagan!"  
  
he stopped short when he saw that pagan wasn't alone. she was quite preoccupied, in fact, and david's appearance, er, intrusion had caused pagan and jack to break apart from their kiss.  
  
"oh!" was all david could say.  
  
"heya, dave," said jack, quite sheepishly. his arm was around pagan. pagan smiled up at david, and an embarrassed laugh escaped from her. she covered her mouth and jack bopped her on the head.  
  
"um..." david said, forgetting everything he was about to say. " am i the first person to know about this?"  
  
"secret's out," pagan said." so, what's up?"  
  
"oh, that," david said, crouching. he handed her the flyer. "read this!"  
  
while pagan read, jack was pulling her hair back from her face.  
  
david looked at them both.wow, he thought. so they're definitely together now. he was happy for them of course, but he also found it to be a bit irritating, because it reminded him that he didn't have anyone to be...well, besotted with.  
  
"you really like her, huh?" pagan asked david, waving the flyer around.  
  
"her music!" david corrected. "i love her music! so, you wanna go?"  
  
pagan gave daid an apollogetic smile."aw, davy," she said. "i'd love to go, but..." she trailed off, leaving the obvious reason dangling in the air.  
  
"i understand," david said, though not without feeling some kind of dissappointment.  
  
"but, hey!" pagan said. "yah should go!"  
  
"what, by myself?" the thought hadn't occured to him yet. he had never been to medda's alone. now he was actually taking it into consideration. yeah, why not?it wasn't something he'd normally do, but then again, these have been strange, baffling days for him. he stole one last glance at jack and pagan before leaving.really strange days.  
  
  
  
the air surrounded david was filled with sparks that night. he felt it in his every pore- this mystifying hypercharged feeling. by then, he'd completely forgotten how his song sounded, but it was all right with him, for he was certain he would hear it again tonight.  
  
he never had much of a reason to go out in the evenings, but now that he had one, he was growing even more excited by the minute.  
  
it was true that his parents were quite strict when it came to curfew, but they weren't unreasonable people. all david had to do was be upfront and honest wity them to get his way. sometimes, the restrictions david had were all really imposed by himself.  
  
smiling inwardly, he knew all that was about to change.  
  
  
  
  
david rapped on the backstage entrance confidently.the tiny window slid open, revealing a bald mustached man peering sternly at him.david blinked."wheah's yah band?" the man asked gruffly, his eyes darting around from side to side.  
  
"excuse me?" david said, confused.  
  
"youse da ventriloquist?" the man asked impatiently.  
  
"no, i'm a friend of medda's-" david began.  
  
"sure yah are!" the man said, cutting him off." entrance is at da front. ten cents."  
  
"you don't understand!" david said, standing his ground.  
  
"ten cents at da front or get lost, kid!" the man yelled, shutting the window violently, before david could say anything more.  
  
i don't believe this, david thought, fuming. the others did this all the time and they got in for free!  
  
determined to talk his way in, he rapped on the door again.  
  
"whatddaya want?" the man on the other side of the door growled." dis awtist entrance only!" he was about to close the window when david blocked it with his hand.  
  
"that's right," david said, thinking of a good excuse. "i'm the...juggler." hurry up and let me in, ya big lug! he thought.  
  
"don't make me laugh," the man said, forcibly extricating david's hand from the window.david held on as tight as he could. they had quite a struggle for some time, but the man was far too strong for david."wiseguy!" he yelled, before once again shutting the window in david' s face.  
  
"dammit!" david swore, kicking a can nearby. he paced around. he had to find a way to get in. there was no way in hell he was leaving this place without seeing cythia perform.  
  
he'd been thinking so hard, he didn't see who was coming up to him, an amused smile on his face.  
  
"well if it ain't david jacobs, a.k.a., the walkin' mout'," the voice said.  
  
david whirled around and saw spot conlon, standing in front of him with that famous " so yah tink yah tough, eh?" smirk. spot spat into his palm in greeting. david quickly did the same and they exchanged spit-sealed shakes.  
  
"well, well,well," spot drawled."'magine seein' yah mug heah!" he gave david the once-over."youse up late. ain't it a school night?"  
  
"just came to see a show," david said.  
  
spot snorted."yeah? well, from the looks of it yah ain't sein' much of one! whatsa matta? franco ain't lettin' yah in?" spot didn't wait for david's reply. he simply strode up to the door and rapped his cane on it.  
  
the window opened, and once again,franco the bouncer's face peered out. " now see heah, yah punk!" he growled at david. "eitha yah get lost or i'll-"  
  
spot's face emerged in front of david's."or you'll what, frankie boy?"  
  
franco's whole expression changed. "brooklyn!" he boomed warmly."'ey,dat crep batharin' yah?" he asked, shooting david a nasty glare.  
  
"cool it, frankie," spot said easily."so happens he's wid me."  
  
"is dat right?" franco said, not convinced." he don't look like one'a yah boys tah me!"  
  
"he ain't one'a 'my boys', ya big ape!" spot said. "and if yah knows what's good fah youse, yah'd bettah be respectin' my friend ovah heah," said spot, throwing an arm over david's shoulder."cause youse lookin' at one'a da leadahs a' the great newsies strike!so yah gonna stand deah gawkin' or yah gonna let us in?" the way spot said it though, wasn't a question.  
  
franco mumbled something to himself, closed the window, and unlatched the door.spot threw david an "i told yah so" smirk and jabbed him jokingly in the stomach before they both sauntered inside.  
  
david may have been the mouth, but spot had always had a way with words.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. little wonder

"refresh me mem'ry,"spot said, once they got inside. "but what yah heah faw, anyway?"  
  
"a singer named cynthia bluecloud," david said. "we saw her audition the other day. she was great!"  
  
"no kiddin'," spot said, making his way deeper backstage. david just followed his lead."ise heah tah see her me'self."  
  
david was startled to her this. "you?" he asked, before he could think better of it. he meant nothing by it, really; he was just surprized, that's all.  
  
spot's eyes flashed. "she's an ol' friend," he said. to himself, he added, "a very old friend."he turned back to david. "anyway, ise nevah miss none'a her shows."  
  
"maybe you can introduce me later?' david asked hopefully.  
  
spot regarded her suspiciously."maybe..."  
  
  
  
david was in heaven. cynthia blue cloud played his song first. his ears perked up as he recognized the chords. he felt like he needed to be peeled off the ceiling after.  
  
after the first set, cythia made her way to the back. david held his breath.  
  
"wouldja quit leanin' on me?" spot barked at him. david had not been aware, but he had been straining forward, as if gravitating towards his approaching new idol.  
  
cynthia, in the dim light backstage, was even more beautiful than the first time david had seen her. although, he noted, she was older than he had originally thought. younger than medda, but way older for david. she had a glow about her, like a fierce calm surrounding her.  
  
spot went up to meet her."hello dere, miss cynthia," he said.  
  
cynthia strained to see in the dark."spot conlon!" she cried jubilantly. "you made it!"  
  
"wouldn'tah missed it faw da woild!" spot said.  
  
david noticed that spot was actually being respectful, which, to david's knowledge, never happened. he looked on as spot and cynthia fell into talking."so, " spot said. "when'ja get back in da city?"  
  
" a coupla days ago," cynthia said. " oh, man, spot, santa fe is amazing! you should see it sometime."  
  
david cleared his throat.   
  
"oh, yeah," spot said, remembering. " miss cythia, dis heah's me pal, davy.davy snuck out tahnight tah watch yah play!" he clapped david on the back and pushed him forward.   
  
"i'm david," david said, holding out his hand." nice to meet you!"  
  
"davy heah's a big fan'a yaws," spot went on as david turned crimson." he's also da leadah of da great newsies strike! well, one'a da leadahs anyhow.da udda's me and my udda friend, jack kelly."  
  
cynthia held out her own hand, peering into david's face. "well, hey!" she said. "then i'm a big fan of yours, david."  
  
oh my god! david thought. we made eye contact.okay, calm down, calm down.oh my god! we're shaking hands!  
  
"you're fantastic!" he gushed, still shaking her hand vigorously.spot groaned behind him. cynthia just laughed modestly.  
  
"it's a living," she said."you boys staying for the whole show?"  
  
"you bet," david said.he couldn't get over how nice and down-to-earth cynthia was being.  
  
she walked over to spot and draped an arm around him." now you," she said, beaming. she smiled at david, so as not to exclude him. " he never misses seeing me play.right from the start of my career in fact." to spot, she said, "thanks for all the help and support, little spot!"  
  
little? cynthia was something else! imagine calling spot conlon, the leader of the brooklyn newsies, the personification of brooklyn itself, little! david glanced at cynthia, who wasn't being sarcastic, but sincere.  
  
spot smiled, but seeing david stifling his laughter, sent him a look which clearly stated: "mention anyt'in about dis tah anyone, and i'll soak yah!"  
  
  
  
  



	4. highs

chapter4  
  
note: for purposes of this chapter only, i am changing the rating from pg-13 to an R.why? i hope i don't pre-empt anything but there will be alcohol and some substance abuse in this chapter. don't kill me, i am not promoting drug abuse!!!! i just wanted to see what the newsies are like when they're...well, you know.so one caveat: this is rated R, okay?  
  
  
chapter 4- highs  
  
" 'eya david!" pagan called out. "wait up!"  
  
"hey stranger, " david said, as she fell into step alongside him.she sure looked happy these days, at least, when david did see her. she and jack were spending so much of their time together, it was like they've created this bubble around them.  
  
" lissen, i really feel bad about not bein' able to go wit'chu tah see cynthia pahfawm," she said.  
  
"oh, don't feel bad," david said. " i had a great time. i even met her in fact."  
  
pagan's eyes grew large. she whacked. " no way!" she said." and...?"  
  
" she was so... modest," david told her. " like she isn't aware about this huge talent that she has. she's really beautiful! but she's older than i thought."  
  
"what'chu doin' tahnight?" she asked." ya wanna hang wit' us?"  
  
"oh i don't want to be a third wheel," david said, thinking pagan meant her and jack.  
  
"i meant with me, race and skittery," pagan said. " wes goin' tah harlem tahnight. wanna join us?"  
  
david thought about this. "what's in harlem?"  
  
"you'll see," pagan said mysteriously. "so, you comin'?"  
  
"okay," he found himself saying.  
  
"great!" she said. " ya won't be dissappointed!"  
  
  
  
  
  
So it was david, pagan, racetrack, skittery and kid blink. Pagan told david the meeting place would be at the square just after dark. Kid blink and racetrack were already there when david arrived.  
  
"whoah, davy!" kid blink yelled. "ya comin' tah harlem wit' us?" he was incredulous. He'd always thought david was well... a serious fellow with not much of a social life.  
  
"pagan invited me," david said. "unless you don't want me around."  
  
Racetrack put on a shocked face. "davy! Davy! Davy!" he said." We's always tawt it was you who don't want US around." He punched david jokingly in the arm. "ya ready fah some sweet action?" and he wiggled his eyebrows crazily as he puffed on his Havana. Racetrack looked around for an absent skittery and pagan. " wheah are does two?" he asked to himself. " 'ey, blink, ya seen pagan?" hm. Lately he seemed to be asking that question a lot.  
  
"dey'sll be back," kid blink said, yawning. " but deys bettah hurry up."  
  
"so where exactly in harlem are we headed to?" david asked, settling near blink.  
  
Before anybody could answer that question, they heard a sharp whistle come from the distance. Soon, skittery and pagan came into view.  
  
"davy!" pagan said." Wasn't sure yah was gonna be heah!"  
  
"toinin' ovah a new leaf, david?" skittery asked.  
  
" I know someone who's toinin' ovah SOME leaf," racetrack commented to kid blink from the corner of his mouth. Blink covered his mouth with his cap to stifle his laughter. "sssshhhh!" was all he said, as racetrack and him shared a private joke.  
  
David wondered what was so funny, but he had a feeling that before the night was over, he would find out.  
  
  
  
" I like this music, " david said, as the newsies sat around a dark alley in harlem, behind what he assumed to be a bar. Throught the dirty window, they were able to peer inside; people were dancing to balmy, warm strains of music that reverberated with energy but whispered secrets at the same time.  
  
" jazz, davy," pagan said. "dat's what it's cawled."  
  
Skittery took out a bottle wrapped in brown paper from behind him.  
  
" 'ey where'd yah get dat?" racetrack asked.  
  
" ise savin' it," skittery said. He scratched the back of his ear. "eh...les' jus' say dat tahnight's a special occasion."  
  
"two actually," pagan said, smiling at david. " you okay, so far, mouth?"  
  
"what's da udda one?" kid blink asked, eager to get at some of the whiskey.  
  
"me boithday," skittery admitted.  
  
"well, why dincha say so?" racetrack said. Well wishes went around.  
  
"too bad we ain't got nuttin faw yah," blink said with regret. "how old are youse anyway?"  
  
"eighteen," skittery said.  
  
"on secand tawt," blink said, with a wicked gleam in his eye. " we DO got sometin faw yah!"  
  
racetrack and pagan caught on. " I say we get six licks each!" race said, lunging forward towards skittery.  
  
"oh no!" skittery said, getting ready to run away. The newsies were too fast for him and clobbered him on each side. They pinned him in no time and lovingly gave him a birthday soak.  
  
"hope yah likes yah present!" blink said, punching skittery.  
  
"yeah, t'anks yah bums," skittery said dryly. "best evah."  
  
" 'ey it's da tawt dat counts," racetrack said.  
  
"here's one to grow on, "david said, giving skittery an extra punch.  
  
Skittery straightened his cap and rubbed his "bruised" muscles. " youse'll get yaws someday!"   
  
The bottle was uncorked. Before anybody could drink from the bottle, pagan spilled some of it on the pavement.  
  
"what'chu do dat faw?" racetrack protested. " yah wastin' it."  
  
"it's customary faw da spirits to have some before we do," pagan said. Racetrack rolled his eyes, as if to say, "oh, boy here we go again." Pagan winked at him, took a swig and passed it on to him.  
  
Racetrack sniffed at it. " oh yeah!" he said. " this stuff's enough tah make yah go blind!" he turned to kid blink. "no offense, though."  
  
Blink waved it away. "none taken."   
  
Racetrack pushed the bottle to david. At first he just stared at it. "well?" race asked. " yah gonna be starin' at it or yah gonna drink it?"  
  
What the hell, david thought. When in rome. He raised the bottle to his lips and took a sip of the bitter liquid. Arg! That tastes putrid, he thought, forcing the stuff to go down. The whiskey left a burning trail in his throat.  
  
Kid blink laughed, slapping david on the shoulder. "hey!" he said. " youse alright david."   
  
What's one little sip going to matter anyway? David thought. Around him, the newsies were starting to loosen up a bit because of the whisky. Kid blink and race were exchanging dirty jokes, trying to outdo each other. David settled back and let the music from the bar sooth him. Above him, stars glittered and he felt a soft breeze ruffle his hair. Every part of him was aching for some kind of release from the normalcy of his life. Hearing Cynthia was like a wake-up call to him. It said, "you're young yet, don't miss out on life." It was true, with everything that's happened- the strike, his family's situation, having to stop his schooling for a while, it was all catching up on him, making him feel old before his time. It's not fair, he thought. I always have to be the responsible one. I never get any fun. But what about his newsie friends? Hard luck was always beside them, and david knew life had not been the least bit easier for them as well. But they carried their burdens with them like it was a fact of life. Choosing to live with, and not die from, a life of hard knocks. Sure they complained, but they never whined about not having any fun, did they? it was still a very fine life for them all, despite trials. For once, David didn't feel like criticizing them for not being as smart as he was.   
  
Take race for example. For him, gambling was everything , because that's what life really was, in the grander scheme of things. Life is a gamble. You play the game, you never know what's gonna happen, sometimes you lose and sometimes...well, in racetrack's case, he hardly won. But this fact never deterred him. Racetrack had pluck. He rolled with the punches life dealt him everyday. It wasn't very hard to make him happy- just a cigar and a day at the track were enough to make his day.  
  
Jarred from his thoughts by the bottle coming his way again, david took another sip, a bigger one this time. Funny, but the second time around, it didn't taste so bad. His thoughts continued to reel out before him.  
  
Kid blink, blind as a bat in one eye. David's father had injured his hand not too long ago, and david couldn't imagine what it was like losing an essential part of his body. Yet here kid blink was, always laughing, always making jokes. Sure he was wild, but david suspected the guy had brains as well. If kid blink had had the same advantages david had, he was sure blink would have been a fine student. Disruptive, and probably an antagonist to authority, but fine nonetheless.  
  
David took another sip from the bottle. The whisky was warm on his lips and strangely...sweet. This wasn't sweet before, haha, he thought. Maybe it's a new bottle. Wow, this stuff is great. He glanced at skittery, who was busy rolling a cigarette with adept skill.  
  
"here's one way we don't gotta eat what we don't sell," he said, licking the joint sealed." We smoke em."  
  
Mother's gonna kill me for sure, david thought. This is just the thing she's been warning me about ever since I joined the newsies. Now here it is staring at me in the face. Skittery passed him an already lit cigarette. "here, hold dis. It's a decoy, so's not tah look suspicious."  
  
Daivid panicked in his head, but his expression remained sedate.No! david thought. I refuse to be an accessory to this! His conscience screamed at him, but to his horror, found himself taking the stick. I'm just going to observe, that's all, he said, justifying his actions.   
  
Skittery lit the joint and inhaled. There is something very lonely about this guy, david thought. He must be burned out by selling papes for years. Maybe that's all he can do, david realized sadly. Of all the newsies, it was skittery who always looked like he had a shadow over him. Always cynical, always the one to disagree. Even in happier times, such as his birthday, he seemed glum. Or numb. If it weren' t for pagan, he'd- oh, here comes the bottle again...wheeee, better take another sip or two.  
  
-He would have killed himself. Pagan. Who is she anyway? David thought, as he watched pagan smoke the same joint. What do we really know about her? She 's the only one skittery seems to identify with. David picked up on loneliness, but pagan was hardly someone he could describe as angsty, really. She'd always been sweet to him, but what was she hiding? And why did she always wear that coat? Even on the hottest days, he'd never seen her take it off. She had so much light inside her, but at the same time, had the same haunted look skittery had in his eyes. Like time bomb just waiting to go off. Being with jack removed some of the madness in her eye. The only time she really looked calm. Oh goody, here comes the bottle again, oh boy. ohboyohboy...  
  
  
"looks like somebody's enjoyin' hisself," kid blink observed, indicating david, who was laughing at all his thoughts. Blink waved a hand in front of david. " youse a'right, david?"  
  
david turned his head toward blink and sighed. "yup!" he said, raising the bottle of whisky over his head. " this one's for you, blink!" and he took a gulp. hooooooweeeeee....  
  
racetrack took out his harmonica and began playing along to the tune inside the bar. Skittery and pagan passed the joint back and forth amongst themselves. Race and blink had declined it. Pagan was sitting stock-still watching blink. Then she started laughing uncontrollably. Skittery looked at her and started laughing in turn. Racetrack stopped his playing long enough to roll his eyes and say, " here we go..." like he was sitting on some carnival ride that was about to start.  
  
"youse laughin' at me!" kid blink said, pouting comically, which made pagan laugh harder.  
  
" I ain't laughin'! who's...laughin'?" she said, verrrrry slowly. "how come it took me so long to say that?" she collapsed against skittery, then snapped right back up, like she got burned. " don't sit so close tah me, skittery."  
  
Kid blink was watching, bewildered. So was david. They exchanged "huh?" looks and shook their heads. The air had grown thick and pungent.   
  
" so, uh," david began. " how come you ain't, I mean, you aren't, smoking that stuff?"  
  
kid blink shrugged. " don't like it," he answered simply. " nevah did."  
  
David figured blink was crazy enough without it anyway. " you've tried it?"  
  
Blink gave him a look that said, " of course I have!" . "jus' didn't sit well wit' me."  
  
"race," david said. Racetrack stopped playing momentarily. " have you tried it?"  
  
"would it matta if I did?" racetrack answered. David shrugged. "been known to, on occasion. And dis ain't one'a dem." He went back to his harmonica.  
  
"would I like it?" he asked in no one in particular.   
  
" doubt it," racetrack and blink said at the same time. Case closed.  
  
Pagan was hitting skittery in the arm and kept laughing when race and blink said "doubt it" at the same time.  
  
" laugh it up!" racetrack said. Despite himself, a smile was threatening to turn into a full blown laughing fit. "'ey, doncha t'ink pagan looks funny every time she laughs like dat? Lookit, her eyes dissappeah!"  
  
david noticed the bottle had not left his hand. He took his...ooops, he's lost count sip. He attempted to stand up. Okay, he thought. I'm not drunk! I'm not drunk. Wow, the sky sure is pretty...and huge.  
  
David closed his eyes and let all the sounds around him- from racetrack's sad wailing harmonica, to skittery and pagan's mad giggles, to blink singing quietly to himself, to the songs being played inside the bar wash into his senses. He was in a happy buzz state of mind, not too drunk that he was crying for mercy, but tipsy enough to feel great about everything. His world was spinning slightly, but he just laughed and marveled at it. " is that building tilted?" he asked.  
  
" no," blink said. "even I can see dat."]  
  
"race, is that building tilted?"  
  
"wanna bet on it?" race asked.  
  
"it's tilted!" david insisted. "look! It's like...the leaning tower of pisa!"  
  
"it ain't davy, " racetrack said.  
  
"it is, too!" david said.  
  
"it ain't!" blink and race chorused.  
  
Skittery and pagan laughed even harder when race and blink chorused for the second time. Pagan was close to tears. " why do dey keep doin' dat?" she howled, as if it hurt to laugh.   
  
Hahahaha, david was laughing inside his head. "hahahaha!" then it wasn't in his head anymore. He was laughing for real, he didn't know why, but he didn't care. the world was so big, and he was so small, compared to everything else. Just a speck, really. Just a speck. Then his world tipped a little bit more, and suddenly it didn't feel too great .  
  
  
  
Racetrack and blink were on both sides of david as they assisted him home to the lodging house. Once skittery and pagan were sober enough to talk in straight coherent language, it was decided that david was too drunk to go home to his own house. He would be taken home to the lodging house, and return to his own home in the morning. He would have to face the consequences the next day.  
  
"oh, man," blink said, huffing and puffing up the stairs as they struggled to get david up. " come on, davy, one leg afta da udda! Tawt he was a bag' a bones! He's heavy!"  
  
david groaned.   
  
"shhh!" race scolded. "ya wanna get us soaked?"  
  
david groaned again. Bed. He just wanted to lie down.  
  
Pagan and skittery led david toward someone's bed to lay him down.  
"take off his shoes," pagan said.  
  
Racetrack grumbled something, but bent over to take the shoes off.  
  
"ow!" he yelped, as david's foot accidentally kicked racetrack in the eye.   
  
"okay, david," blink said. "lay down, dat's it, it'll be okay in da mawnin." He sounded like he was talking to an overgrown baby.  
  
Finally, they were able to get david settled in. in no time, he was snoring.  
  
The exhausted newsies fell quiet, watching him.  
  
"t'ink he'll remembah dis in da mawnin?" skittery asked.  
  
"he bettah!" racetrack said. " he gave me a black eye!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. consequence, coffee, conversation

NOTE: apologies to everyone who was disturbed or unsettled by the use of alcohol and weed in the last chapter. i'll try to behave from here on in.  
  
groggy from all that alcohol, david tried to lift his heade from the pillow. it was very noisy around him and he wondered why. he could hear shouting, singing, morning rituals from every direction as a sharp searing pain drilled his left temple. he anted nothing more than to go back to sleep; his whole body felt so heavy, it seemed impossible to get up. he groaned, and oushed his face deeper into the pillow, wishing the whole world would go away and leave him alone. selling papers was the last thing he wanted to wake up for. the noises continued, and got louder, closer as sleep slowly slipped away. who's making all that noise? he thought. he forced his eyes open and woke up to unfamiliar surroundings.  
  
he felt a weight and a presence get on the mattress, just over him. the presence samcked his rear, yelling," get up, davy! rise and shine!time tah wake up! carryin' dah bannah!"  
  
an alarm clock went off inside david, and he immediately sat up, shocked. whe-OWWWWWWWW!his head felt like it was being smashed like a rock."what..." he began, as kid blink's face came into focus in front of him."blink!" he croaked. "what happened? where am I?" then, remebering, "oh no! i gotta get home!" he tried to stand up, but all he achieved was falling out of bed clumsily. he scrambled to get his shoes on. my parents will kill me, he thought miserably. he imagined the worst case scenario- his father had died of worry, his mother would disown him...he seriously had to get home!now if only he can find his other shoe...! "i gotta get home!" he yelped helplessly.  
  
"anybody seen davy's udda shoe?" kid blink hollered amid the noise. everyone ignored him, so kid blink got on the floor with david to help him look.  
  
they found it two beds away and hurriedly, david put them on."i gotta go!" he yelped one last time before flying down the stairs.  
  
  
  
"young man, where have you been? we were up all night waiting for you!" david's mother cried when he got home. she looked as if she wanted to get mad, but was too relieved to see her son unharmed. david was instanly filled with guilt.this was all his fault. his father, who was at the table, said nothing, but was looking at david in aquiet, thoughtful way, as if deciding what course of action to take."my god!where did you sleep? what happened are you all right?"  
  
"fine, momma," david said. his mother was hysterical, as he had expected her to be. but it was his father who david worried about.it was just a matter of time until the volcano blew up.  
  
finally meyer jacobs stood up. "the boy's fine, esther," he siad. "i'm sure david here can explain what happened."  
  
david gulped." i'm sorry," he said automatically. "this is my fault. i said i would be home by ten." his father's expression softened a notch. "i slept at the newsies lodging house," he said, opting for the truth...well,part of it anyway. the alcohol would take a lot of explaining, and would probably be best left unmentioned.  
  
his father looked at him as if deciding whether to take his son's word for it or not. then, deciding in david's favor, sighed, and said, "next time, son, please let us know where you are. your mother and i were very worried."  
  
David was weak with relief. He knew that he was getting off easy. "I'm sorry, poppa," he said again.  
  
"now, go on, sell the papers," he said, dismissing the subject for now.  
  
"yes, sir."  
  
This is the last time I'm ever drinking! David vowed to himself, ignoring the pounding in his head. I am never touching alcohol again for as long as I live!  
  
Selling had been hell that morning because of his hangover. David was angry at himself for losing it the way he did. He knew better than to blame anybody than himself, which made it worse. He only bought thirty papes, because he didn't think he could push a hundred that day. I'm a disgrace! He thought, kicking himdelf. He ambled on, with his last pape in hand.   
  
A woman coming out of a store called him over. David walked up to her, still scolding himself for his reckless behavior. He handed her the pape.  
  
"how much?" the woman asked, smiling at him.  
  
David didn't bother looking up. "penny a pape, miss," he said glumly.   
  
"here ya go," the woman said, handing him the coins. "why so glum, chum?"  
  
when david looked up, he wanted nothing more than for the ground to swallow him up. "miss Cynthia!"  
  
Cynthia smiled at david. "yeah! Thought that was you!" she peered into his face. David noted she had a habit of doing that, like she was trying to read the thoughts behind his eyes." You okay, hun?"  
  
David was flabbergasted. She'd actually remembered him! "I'm good."  
  
"yeah, well, seems to me, you got a splitting hangover!" Cynthia said, like she saw this kind of thing everyday. "come on, I'll buy you a coffee. It'll make you feel brand new in no time."  
  
  
  
As they had coffee, david found himself relating all of the previous night's events to Cynthia, who listened with great interest, never battling an eyelash or appearing shocked even when david mentioned the whisky or the grass. She'd simply laughed, purely amused at david's story.  
  
"you get in trouble at home?" she asked.  
  
"that was the weirdest thing of all," david said. "of course my mom was a bit mad, but my dad…" he shook his head. " I don't understand why he was so calm about it."  
  
"you know what I think?" Cynthia said. "he knows."  
  
David stared back at her. "what do you mean he knows?"  
  
"how old are you? Fourteen? Fifteen?"  
  
"fifteen."  
  
Cynthia waved her hand, as if to say, "see?". "my dad was the same way with me and my brothers," she said. " I was the baby for a long time, so I got it harder." She paused to take a sip of her coffee. " my dad was a good man, not too strict, but lenient within reason. At some point it seemed he realized his kids…well, they stopped being kids." She paused. "you get what i'm saying?"  
  
David nodded. Cynthia went on, " one time, I was about your age, in fact, my older brother Charlie, dared me I wouldn't drink some gin, so I did!" she laughed her tinkly laugh. " Charlie got in so much trouble. But then soon after that, my dad took out a bottle of brandy, set it on the table," and here she gestured, as if setting down a bottle in front of her. " and went, ' there's a right way and a wrong way to drink! I'll not have any drunks in dis house, so ya might as well learn the right way!' " she laughed again, remembering it fondly." I miss my dad." Then, brushing away the feelings, she said," that's what I'm saying, maybe your dad knows."  
  
"you think?" david wasn't sure about that, but he had been caught up with cynthia's storytelling. Her background seemed so interesting and so…unusual. " I just feel bad about it that's all. I've never done anything like that before. one thing's for sure, though I'm never going near alcohol again!"  
  
to which miss Cynthia said, "I've said the same thing myself a thousand times before!" she smiled, as her eyes danced mischievously, like fireflies on a summer day.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. girl talk

Chapter 6- girl talk  
  
Conversation, not unlike sips of coffee, becomes a habit and can lead to other things. Every word we exchange with somebody else makes us less of a stranger to them, so it's important to watch what we say, but more importantly, to watch what we don't.  
  
  
  
  
Miss medda larkson, the Swedish meadowlark, friend and ally to the manhattan newsies, watched cynthia bluecloud pace in and out of the dressing room through her mirror. Strange young woman, that Cynthia. In a time when ladies were expected to act like ladies, it was an understatement that Cynthia seemed to be born before her time,. Medda was trying to recall a word to describe the lady guitarist, (that is, if you could call her a lady)…it was bohemian. A wild child, medda decided. A free spirit. A very talented free spirit, she thought, adjusting the oins in her bouffant. Cynthia bluecloud was an acquired taste. Half the time medda couldn't really understand what Cynthia was singing about and she was sort of…odd; but still, she packed quite an audience and medda was happy with that.  
  
"lose anything, darling?" medda asked Cynthia, who continued to pace around, as if looking for something, or trying to remember if she HAD lost something.  
  
Cynthia, for the first time became aware of medda's presence. "oh!" she cried, stopping her pacing. She ran a hand through her long black hair. "just thinking, " she said, smiling wanly.  
  
"anything I can help you with?" medda offered.  
  
Quickly, Cynthia pulled up a chair and straddled it, facing medda. "actually," she began, her face flushed. "I do need…some advice."  
  
Medda, startled by cynthia's sudden movement and by the way she sat on the chair, was unable to speak for a few moments. Blinking, she collected herself. "what's on your mind, dear?"  
  
Cynthia stared at medda. Medda, puzzled by the way she was being scrutinized by the young woman sitting in front of her, shifted in her own seat and cleared her throat. Whatever could she be thinking?  
  
"well, cynthia began. "I suppose you could say I've been…battling with my conscience lately."  
  
Battling with my conscience? Medda thought, and hoped not out loud. Oh dear…this sounds like we'll be here for a long time. Medda didn't know what to say, so she simply smiled in encouragement.  
  
Medda, while without a husband and children had often proven herself somewhat of a mother-type to her younger newsies acquaintances. Oh, all right, so maybe a few of those acquaintances haven't been quite so motherly, but juts the same, when somebody needed comfort, she was there. Why should this time be any different?  
  
"have you…" and here Cynthia paused, as if choosing her words. "have you ever been in a situation when…something feels so good and so right…but somehow it's wrong… and…and it makes you feel bad?"  
  
once again, medda blinked back her surprise. "oh," she said, her hand flying to her chest. "um…" goodness, she thought. Have I bitten up more than I could chew? Medda's silence prompted Cynthia to say more.  
  
"something that makes you fell alive and wonderful, but at the same time, confused and scared?" she went on.  
  
Medda listened and watched as Cynthia confided in her through riddles. Then, clarity struck medda like a flash, and almost made her cry out with realization. The fidgety actions, the distraction, the unmistakable sparkle in her eyes. Why! medda positively knew what the matter was. "Cynthia bluecloud, you're in love!" she stated gleefully.  
  
Cynthia blushed and said nothing. Medda reached for her hand. "that's wonderful!" she said. " wonderful news! Who with?" then, remembering her manners, "oh, forgive me! I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to tell me."  
  
"but that's the part I need advice on," Cynthia said. "I may be…in love…" the words rolled off her tongue like she wasn't used to it. "but-"  
  
"he doesn't feel the same way?" medda guessed. "oh, honey…"  
  
"no, that ain't it," Cynthia said. "no, I'm quite sure he feels the same…"  
  
"but he's married?" medda guessed again. "oh, sweetie…"  
  
"no!" Cynthia said, her hand flying to her mouth.  
  
"well for goodness sake Cynthia, out with it already!" medda cried in impateinece, though not unkindly.   
  
"he's younger than I am," Cynthia blurted out. "much younger."  
  
Medda gave her an understanding smile. "oh, sweetheart," she said sympathetically. I may be able to help her out after all!  
  
"he may be younger, but he's mature for his age," Cynthia explained. "he's very smart." Medda nodded. While she could never really say she'd been in love with a younger man, she HAD consorted with a few in ways that were far less than kosher. "but he's…he's a boy!" Cynthia said, shaking her head. "no matter which way I look at it, david is still a boy!"  
  
medda's face froze. "david?" she said. "as in, david Jacobs?"   
  
Cynthia nodded. ""what do I do?" she wailed.  
  
"david Jacobs?" she said again. "our david? David the newsie?" talk about confused.  
  
"david? Strike leader david?"  
  
"yes, medda, yes!" Cynthia grabbed onto medda's skirt. "am I evil?"  
  
medda shot up from her seat. Now it was HER turn to pace around.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. say anything

Note: this is a Cameron crowe inspired chapter. Hence the title of the chapter. I also lifted a line from one of my favorite Cameron crowe films, "say anything". If you've seen the movie, you'll know which line I'm talking about. I don't mean to rip him off, I'm just jealous that he thought of using it first.   
  
  
  
  
"well…say something."  
  
David was waiting for his friend pagan to say something…anything, after his five minute Cynthia bluecloud litany. He'd come clean: he was officially in love with her. He had to tell somebody now that he was absolutely sure or else he would burst. David had to say it out loud because he didn't feel real enough, it didn't feel like this was actually happening until somebody else knew about it. Not just anybody, of course, but somebody whose opinions he respected. Somebody who would share his excitement over his confession. Someone who could relate. Somehow he thought pagan would be that person, but he was beginning to think he was wrong.   
  
"ise happy for yah," pagan said after a moment. And she WAS happy for him. David was positively glowing. Just that…well, the less she said about what she really thought about the whole affair, the better. "really."  
  
Disappointment was only half of what david was feeling. "that's it?" he asked, quite hurt that pagan had not matched his level of excitement. "that's all you're gonna say?"  
  
A weird shifty look crossed pagan's face, like she was struggling against her better judgment, editing in her head what she was about to say, before she let the words out. This wasn't the first time david saw the look, and unfortunately he also knew what it meant. David was bothered by it, her "I'm looking everywhere except at you for your own good" look. The "that's not what I meant look".  
  
"what?" david said. "what is with that look?"  
  
"what look?" pagan said.  
  
"that look!" he said, pointing at her.  
  
Pagan's mouth opened to protest, but closed. Exasperated, she pursed her lips and glanced sideways.  
  
"see, you're doing it again!" he accused.  
  
Pagan rolled her eyes. "david," she warned. A small, inexplicable sound came out from her throat, which clearly stated, "I don't know what else to say."  
  
David turned his face away from her, shaking his head. Oh great! Pagan thought. Now HE's the one with a weird look on his face. That "I'm a wounded lovesick fool" look. Now it's MY fault. Great. Wonderful. Nice goin', pagan. How insensitive can you be? She cleared her throat.  
  
"isn't she…I don't know, a bit too old for you?" she said in a tiny voice.   
  
And then, david exploded. "aha! So the truth finally comes out!" he said.   
  
"what?" pagan blinked. She felt set up in the worst possible way. Damned if I do, damned if I don't, she thought grimly. She wanted to take it back. She wished they could start over so that she could give david the reaction he wanted.   
  
"so what if she is?" david said defensively. "what's wrong with that? It's not as if she's old enough to be my mother! In three years time I'll be eighteen and then I'll be an adult. And all adults are basically the same age!" it's not fair! He thought. Why do people want to deprive me of this wonderful feeling?  
  
pagan had never seen david so incensed. She felt like shrinking. Oh god I said the wrong thing right then. I gotta watch dis mouth'a mine. "whoah!" she said, gulping. She held up both palms up, as if to shield herself from david. "point taken." She made a "time out" signal with her hands. She took off her cap and ran her fingers through her short black hair, sighing. "can I say something?"   
  
david grunted in response.  
  
"come on, david," pagan said gently, touching his shoulder. Come on, man, Ise not the enemy here. "please don't be mad. ise just lookin' out fah youse. Ise don't wanna see youse get hoit."  
  
"who's hurt?" david said stubbornly. " I'm not hurt! And even if I did get hurt, so what? Who cares?" david stood up, faced pagan and declared, "I WANNA GET HURT!" he pounded his chest for emphasis. His voice echoed into the night. The silence that followed the statement was punctuated by a barking dog in the distance. If he didn't look so scary, pagan would have laughed at the dramatic declaration. This wasn't the time, though, maybe later, when all this was over, they might be able to laugh at it. However, it was far from over, and so pagan dared not laugh.   
  
She reached into her pockets searching for a cigarette. Dammit, pagan, she scolded herself. Shudda known betta dan argue wit' a person in love. Especially one in love for the first time.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	8. i'm a fool to want you

Note: okay, I think I might as well change the rating of the story from pg 13- to R altogether. For the mature themes and the language on cynthia's POV.   
  
  
In the darkness of his bedroom, david was left alone with his thoughts. Save for his little brother les' snoring and occassional bursts of sleep talk, it was quiet enough for david to immerse himself in serious contemplation. Despite pagan's none too thrilling reaction, david decided to confess his feelings for cynthia the next time they see each other, at her next gig. i love this woman, he thought, as his heart started beating triple time, like his veins were suddenly injected with a sickly sweet serum. This woman...not girl, but woman! Pagan's words echoed in his brain...isn't she a little too old...?  
  
David turned over and punched his pillow in annoyance. Who cares what pagan thinks anyway? And for that matter, who cares what anyone thinks? He just pictured himself with cynthia and it just seemed to make sense. There was no mistaking the chemistry they had when they were together. It didn't take a genius to read between the lines...  
  
No matter how much a secret needs to be shared with a friend, there would always be some kind of detail (usually the most important one) that would be left out. That precious detail you want to save only for yourself because saying it makes the whole thing less yours. It would take pack of wolves to tearthose details from david.  
  
Details about how cynthia's hair had tickled when she leaned on his shoulder on the trolley n the way home, how the scent of her soap sometimes stuck to his shirt, how her eyes sparkled moments before she handed him those little slips of paper with a poem she's written, how she swept the hair out of his eyes. Gestures that make the people around them assume they're in love.  
  
Would she want to be my girl?  
  
An ache, a longing filled his chest. He wanted cynthia to be with him now. He wanted towake up in the middle of the night and find her arms around him. He wanted her scent to fill his senses.  
  
I'm a fool to want you, cynthia, he thought. god help me, but I do.  
  
  
  
  
Somewhere in the heart of the east village, cynthia bluecloud snapped her second pencil. Watch it, she said to herself. Pencils don't grow on trees you know. She'd been writing a song because she couldn't sleep. Writing songs usually got her through the night, but this time, even that failed to soothe her.  
  
She looked at what she's written so far. Crap, she decided, crumpling the page and flinging it to the other side of the room. On the floor of her apartment, in various locations were scattered balls of paper. I'm living a cliché, she thought. Classic writer's block due to a starving heart. Starving heart! That's a good one! She rushed to get it down on paper.  
  
The window was open, yet it felt like a hundred degrees in her room. Humidity clung to her skin like a dirty veil. Pacing around didn't help any. It was her own restlessness and trapped energy that was keeping her awake. She grabbed a folded up section of an old newspaper to fan herself with. A pape, she thought, smiling. Get a grip, cynthia, she told herself, flinging her weight on her unmade bed. Everything seemed to remind her of david lately.  
  
Let's see...how old am I? How old is he?  
  
Swearing, she stumbled out of bed towards her guitar. I could mever touch him, it would be wrong, she thought.  
  
Finding the silence unbearable, she kicked a stool to its side and allowed herself a scream. Fuck the neighbors! She thought. To hell with them all!  
  
On the one hand, it felt like betrayal. David was spot's friend- she wouldn't have met david if it weren't for spot. She'd always considered spot somewhat of a little brother, which made her feelings for david a bit incestuous to some degree. This perplexed her to no end.  
  
On the other hand, she had been waiting so long to be with someone like david. He may be young, but god knows david is more of a man than most jerks she's dated. Pure, that's what he was. Her thoughts continued to bounce off the ceilings of her stifling room.   
  
Dear lord, she prayed, crossing herself. Am I taking advantage of him? Am I?  
  
If people could be jailed for the thoughts they had...I'd definitely need a good lawyer. Hell, I probably would have ben executed by now.haha.  
  
Tea. I'll make some tea.  
  
What would his mother think? Cynthia felt sorry for david's mother already. She's probably a wonderful lady to have raised david. I would never fit in her plans for him. What mother in her right mind would allow her son to run around with women like me? I'm a boyfriend's mother's worst nightmare: I live alone, I sing for a living, I don't believe in marriage for cryin' out loud or that silly idea that a woman's place is in the kitchen! David's mother would want a nice girl for him, and I am not a nice anything. I might even end up hurting him... david. Oh baby...baby! Yes, that's right, you cradle robbing...  
  
I'm a fool to want you, david. But being a fool would be the least of my crimes.  
  
  



	9. hello baby

Note: obviously, I'm in a hurry to finish this story. I hope you don't hate me and all?i have to thank ulan for letting me use some of her lines here. i'm not saying which part. :)  
  
  
  
"you are with me now  
you will always be  
until you walk away..."  
-cynthia Alexander  
  
  
"I've never done anything like this. Are you sure I look okay?"  
  
"yes. You look beautiful. They'll love you. Don't worry."  
  
David leaned over to kiss Cynthia. They were standing in front of tibby's, about to join the newsies inside. This would be their first appearance as an official couple. David wanted to introduce Cynthia properly to his friends. They might be shocked, david realized, but they're just going to have to live with it.   
  
His eyes drank in cynthia's radiance. She was shining in the daylight in her filmy white dress. David was reminded of dandelions- delicate tiny flowers that floated and danced in the air. And she was his.   
  
Maybe you're just being mystified...she had told him. No, david had said. I don't think I am...don't think I ever was mystified at all...  
  
It was going to be a major announcement. A huge step in the beginning of their relationship. David was determined to do this right. No sneaking around. No beating around the bush. No denying. No shame.  
  
"okay, tell me again, " Cynthia said, peeking through the window. "that one's blink, right?" she asked, catching sight of a hyper young man with a patch over one eye. " and that has got to be..." she strained to see.  
  
David cupped her face in his hands. "you'll meet them all. Don't worry."  
  
Why was he being so calm? Cynthia wondered. And I'm supposed to be the adult here! "what if they hate me?"  
  
"they won't," david said reassuringly. Then, taking her hand in his, "are you ready?"  
  
Cynthia nodded. "yes. Are you?"  
  
Taking a deep breath, with their hands firmly clasped in each other's, they pushed the door open and stepped inside.  
  
  
(the end...or the beginning)  



End file.
